Nashville May Ban Ticket Scalping Near Venues

NASHVILLE, TN — Ticket scalpers could be fined under a proposal coming before the Metro Council next week.

The council bill, sponsored by councilmembers Freddie O'Connell and Nancy VanReece, would make it a misdemeanor to sell or offer for sale tickets on public rights-of-way and sidewalks adjoining Ryman Auditorium, Ascend Amphitheater, the Tennessee Performing Arts Center, War Memorial Auditorium and First Tennessee Park. The practice is already banned in the area of Nissan Stadium, Bridgestone Arena and Municipal Auditorium.

The ticket scalping ticket would carry a $25 to $50 fine.

Scalping generally is not banned under Tennessee law, though the use of so-called "bots" to buy tickets online is banned under state law and U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, Republican of Brentwood, sponsored a bill earlier this year to ban the practice nationally.

VanReece called the council proposal "a start."

"Some of the public facilities already had some protection," VanReece told The Tennessean. "So we're just wanting to take the opportunity to extend that to the other areas that are public facilities and in the public right of way for some of our entertainment venues. It's a deterrent. If you know you can't sell them, then you're not going to buy them."

The bill is before the council on first reading April 4.